STOCKTON - Like it or not, take it seriously or not, laugh at it or not, Stockton is back in the Top 10 on Forbes' annual list ranking America's most miserable cities.

Bankruptcy and a record-breaking year of homicides will do that. Stockton is No. 8 on the 2013 list. The city, 11th last year, topped Forbes' rankings in 2009 and 2011.

Mayor Anthony Silva isn't laughing.

"Stockton has endless opportunities and potential," he said. "The people here are wonderful. The local economy is struggling a bit like a lot of places, but we're going to get out of it.

"My goal is to get off all those lists."

Silva pointed Friday to another ranking - the worst-run cities in America, compiled by 247wallst.com. Stockton is No. 3 this year.

"Probably, right now, we deserve to be on those lists, but our goal is to get off them," the mayor said. "On my business cards, I've taken off the 'All-America City' wording. Hopefully we will earn it again - maybe we'll earn it again two years from now.

"I've got to be optimistic."

In its description of the city, Forbes said, "Stockton became the largest U.S. city to file for bankruptcy protection last year. The city is burdened with the highest foreclosure rate in the U.S. and ranks among the five worst for unemployment and crime."

A national Misery Index was first developed in the 1960s by economist Arthur Okun. It combined the impacts of joblessness and inflation.

Forbes has added to the criteria. Under the guidance of senior staff writer Kurt Badenhausen, the magazine measures violent crime, unemployment, foreclosures, taxes, home prices, commute times, weather and residential migration. The survey looks at the 200 largest metropolitan areas in the United States. Stockton, with 297,000 residents, is the nation's 63rd largest city, according to the latest U.S. Census estimate.

Forbes proclaimed Detroit the most miserable city for 2013, saying its "problems continue to multiply, sadly."

Miami, No. 1 a year ago, dropped out of the Top 10, while two of the nation's largest cities - No. 4 Chicago and No. 10 New York - made the list.

Last year, Sacramento was fifth in the country. The state capital didn't even make the Top 10 this time around. Modesto, however, is ranked fifth on the 2013 - three spots above Stockton.

Said Forbes: "Foreclosures continue to plague Modesto with 6,859 foreclosure filings in 2012, according to RealtyTrac. It represents 3.8 percent of homes, which is the third highest rate in the U.S."

No. 6 on the list was Vallejo, another California city to have declared bankruptcy and just emerging from that fiscal black eye.

Silva took no comfort in the misery of either Modesto or Vallejo.

"In order to change Stockton's image, we need to do more than bulletin boards and websites," he said. "We need to do something bold to attack crime - we need innovative things and more police officers on the street. We need to make our streets safer.